Burrill was in Pictou County for the nomination of Deborah Stiles in Pictou East on Friday.
“The McNeil Liberals cut over $1.1 million from 11 nursing homes in Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Richmond and Inverness counties,” said Burrill. “This has meant lower food quality, less recreational programming for seniors, and fewer staff to care for residents. What kind of a government cuts funding for seniors’ care?”
In an interview with The News, Burrill said that over the last two years the Odd Fellows’ operating budget had been cut by $73,543, Glen Haven Manor’s by $273,249 and Valley View Villa’s by $151,361.
It’s money he says he would immediately restore if elected.
“I think it’s a poor moral choice,” Burrill said of the cuts to the long-term care facilities. “It’s also poor economics.”
“Our seniors deserve better,” said Henderson Paris, NDP candidate in Pictou Centre in a release on the topic. “We all know someone who lives in a nursing home. As a former chair of Glen Haven Manor, I have seen first-hand the genuine and professional care delivered by the staff and administration there. This is home for many seniors and they deserve to have the best quality of care. Cutting funding to our seniors is disrespectful and morally wrong.”
Burrill, like many, expects an election to be called soon and said that what the NDP is offering to voters is an alternative to the provincial Liberals approach, which has focused on balancing the budget at all costs.
While it seems practical to balance the budget, Burrill said it’s come at a serious cost to necessary services.
“A very high priority for us in Nova Scotia is people who are living in long term care.
Their lives and the quality of their lives is something really worth our investing in.”
He said no long-term beds have been added in the province during the Liberals’ term in power and no collaborative care centres opened.
Infrastructure and maintenance spending has also been cut to stay on budget, he said.
“From my point of view this is a false economy. If you can show no red ink this year by deferring, all you’re really doing is pushing the red ink off to another year.”
If given the chance to govern he said his approach would be more in line with the federal Liberal government under Justin Trudeau, which is willing to deficit-spend to invest in the future.
“This is going to be at the core of the election,” he said.
